Pump apparatus and housing therefor

ABSTRACT

There is described an impeller pump assembly and particularly an impeller pump housing characterized by simple and rapid assembly and disassembly thereof.

United States Patent 1 Rule I 1 March 6, 1973 PUMP APPARATUS AND HOUSINGTHEREFOR [75 Inventor: Clinton Rule, Beverly Farms, Mass. [73]Assigriee: Rule Industries, Inc; Gloucester,

Mass.

[22] Filed: Oct. 7, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 187,344

[52] US. Cl. ..415/201, 417/360, 417/411, 417/424 [51] Int. Cl ..F01d1/02, F04b 17/00, F04b 35/04 [58] Field of Search ..415/200, 201',417/360, 411

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1914 Wiwiet a1. ..417/4112,868,132 1/1959 Rittershofer ..417/360 3,000,543 9/1961 Paul ..417/3603,195,148 7/1965 Merkel,Jr..... .....417/4ll 3,333,834 8/1967 Brewster..417/411 3,647,323 3/1972 Thomas ..417/411 3,625,639 12/1971 Eggmann..417/360 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 976,638 12/1964 GreatBritain..417/360 Primary Examiner-Henry F. Raduazo Att0rney William N. Anastos5 7 ABSTRACT There is described an impeller pump assembly andparticularly an impeller pump housing characterized by simple and rapidassembly and disassembly thereof.

13 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATEHTEUHAR 81915 3.719.429

ShEET 20? 2 PUMP APPARATUS AND HOUSING THEREFOR OBJECTS OF THE INVENTIONIt is a principal object of the invention to provide a novel impellerpump housing assembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel impeller pumpassembly which provides a prime feature of facile assembly anddisassembly of the overall pump apparatus.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel impeller pumpassembly characterized by the feature of facile assembly and disassemblywhile retaining the desirable characteristic of security of assembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide a compact impellerpump.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will in part beobvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The impeller pump assembly of thepresent invention generally comprises at least three sections:

1. a rear end wall comprising a forwardly extending rear casing andhaving associated therewith locking members which cooperate with anexternal pump enclosure and an internal front casing;

2. a front casing having associated therewith locking members whichcooperate with locking members of said end wall; and

3. a pump housing constituting a general external enclosure for the pumpapparatus and comprising a front partition, said partition havingintegral therewith a rearwardly extending impeller chamber, and saidhousing comprising locking means adapted to cooperate with the lockingmembers of said rear end wall.

THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the assembly of the presentinvention and various preferred embodiments thereof can be had byreference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal, partly sectional, schematic view of anassembled pump comprising one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic, perspective, partly sectional, disassembled viewof the three sections of the pump apparatus of FIG. 1 showing variousfeatures thereof in greater detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2,wherein like numbers refer to like elements, rear end wall 1 comprisesendplate 3 and tubular rear casing 5 extending forwardly from andperpendicularly to said endplate 3. Additionally, at least two inwardlydepressible locking arms 7 extend forwardly from about the periphery ofsaid endplate 3. In detail, rear casing 5 comprises a resilient tubularstructure 6 which is outwardly biasable at the forwardmost section 9thereof, and which forwardmost section 9 bears at least twocircumferentially oriented step-shaped slots 11. Each of slots 11comprises a relatively deeply slotted center section and relativelyshallow slotted sections 13 extending laterally from at least one andpreferably both sides of said slotted center section 15. Each saidslotted center section 15 and its associated coextensive lateral slottedsection(s) 13 have a common and continuous rearmost edge 16. Saidlateral slotted sections 13 are of considerable importance in that saidsections 13 can normally provide substantially all of the outwardlybiasable nature required of forwardmost section 9. The functions ofthese features will be discussed in more detail hereinafter.

In the assembled state, a portion of motor 17 resides within theconfines of rear casing 5. Desirably, there is further provided aresilient thrusting means, such as spring 19, located within rear casing5 and which thrusting means is supported at one end thereof againstendplate 3, and at the other end against the rearward end 37 of motor17. As will become more clear in the description hereinbelow, thepresence of said biasing or thrusting means aids in the assembly of thepump mechanism and serves to improve the security of the linkagesachieved between the interlocking members of rear casing 5 and forwardcasing 100.

Each locking arm 7 generally comprises a forwardly extending, inwardlydepressible member 21 bearing thereon a substantially perimetricallyoriented locking slot 23 located at the free end and on the outer aspectthereof. The forwardmost boundary of locking slot 23 is defined near theterminus of arm 21 by a laterally extending locking projection 24. Inorder to maximize the inwardly depressible character of arms 21, it ispreferred that (a) end wall 1 comprise an integral flange 25 ofsubstantial resiliency extending forwardly from the perimeter ofendplate 3, and (b) said arms 21 be affixed to or integral with saidflange 25. Further flexibility can be achieved by providing flange 25with slot or slots 27 adjacent the sides 28 of members 21. Additionally,said slots 27 are substantially parallel with respect to thelongitudinal axes of members 21. As mentioned previously, members 21 areintended to be manually depressible in an inward direction. Accordingly,it is normally desirable that the outermost aspect 29 of each member 21be etched, grooved, checkered or otherwise treated so as to provide aslipresistant surface thereto.

Forward casing comprises a rear tubular member 102 and narrower forwardtubular member 104. As shown clearly in FIG. 1, shoulder 106 formed atthe junction of said tubular members 102 and 104 forms a convenientanchor point against which there butts front shoulder 108 of motor 17Additionally, rear tubular member 102 is equipped with flanges 110 and l12 spaced from one another so as to form channel 1 14 therebetween. An 0ring of suitable dimensions is positioned within said channel 1 14 and,in cooperation with interior wall 31 of casing 5, seals the motorcasing.

An important feature of rear tubular member 102 resides in the provisionthereon of locking studs 128, each stud extending from the outer surfaceof member 102 and positioned between flange 112 and shoulder 106. Eachstud 128 comprises a front surface 129 which extends substantiallyperpendicularly from the surface of member 102. The rear surface 132 ofeach stud 128, however, is radiused or angled rearwardly from its apex134 towards the surface of member 102.

In assembling the pump, spring 19 is placed in casing 5, the back 37 ofmotor 17 is placed against the free end of spring 19 and forward casing100 is slipped over motor shaft 116. Next, locking studs 128 are alignedwith the slotted center sections of slots 11 and end wall 1 and casing100 then forced together. The radiused or angled rear surfaces 132 ofstuds 128 bias edge 18 and/or section 9 of tubular structure 6outwardly, thereby allowing studs 128 to slip into locking engagementwith center sections 15 of slots 11. Obviously, therefore, the width ofeach stud 128 at its base 136 should be equal to or, preferably,slightly less than the'width of the slotted center section 15corresponding thereto.

Conversely, in the disassembly procedure, it is important that thethickness of base 136 of each stud 128 be greater than the slot depth ofeach lateral slotted section 13 corresponding thereto. It is a furtherimportant feature of studs 128 that at least one, and preferably each ofits sides 130 and 131 be radiused, beveled or otherwise angled towardsapex 134. When said sides are so radiused or angled, the disassembly ofeasing 5 from casing 100 is accomplished simply by twisting end wall 1relative to casing 100. Normally, when a thrusting means such as spring19 is employed between motor 17 and endplate 3, the biasing force ofsaid thrusting means will be sufficient to cause end wall 1 to pull awayfrom casing 100 when studs 128 are brought out of locking engagementwith slotted center sections 15.

Forward tubular member 104 of forward casing 100 defines generally acasing for motor shaft 116. Said member 104 is provided with at leastone shaft seal. However, as indicated, it is preferred that at least twoshaft seals be positioned at each extremity of member 104. A desirablefeature to be employed in the design and construction of tubular member104 when horizontal mounting of the pump is contemplated resides in theprovision of downwardly positioned aperture 122, which allows liquidwhich may work its way through front shaft seal 118 and into casing 104to be eliminated by gravity. when, as preferred, an aperture means isemployed, a convenient expedient which avoids accidental assembly so asto position aperture 122 at the top rather than properly at the bottomresides in pairing the dimensions of each slot 1 with its correspondingstud 128. By this expedient only the correct position of casing 100relative to end wall 1 will allow interlocking of the correspondingslots and studs.

At the forwardmost end of tubular member 104, there is provided anotherspaced apart, double flange system 124 adapted to form a seat 125 for 0ring 126 and thereby provide a seal between member 104 and tubularimpeller chamber 202.

After assembly of end wall 1, motor 17 and casing 100 as describedhereinabove, impeller 300 can then be affixed to the end of shaft 116. Aparticularly preferred method and linkage of impeller 300 to shaft 116is described in my copending application Ser. No. l08,775, filed Jan. 2,1972. However, other means conventionally employed in the art to affixrotating members to drive shafts are also acceptable. Once the impellerhas been affixed to shaft 1 16, the encased subassembly thus fardescribed in detail is fitted to and locked into housing 200.

Housing 200 comprises a general pump enclosure 204 extending rearwardlyfrom a partition 206. Said partition 206 comprises (1) impeller chamber202 extending rearwardly therefrom and (2) inlet aperture 208 adapted toconduct liquid through said partition and into said impeller chamber202. Impeller chamber 202 is further equipped with tangentially locatedoutlet pipe 210.

A particularly important feature of the construction of housing 200resides in the locking structure thereon which structure cooperates withlocking studs 7 of end wall 1. Near the rear edge 218 of cover 204,there are provided cut-outs 220 adapted to receive manually depressiblearms 21 of locking studs 7. Associated with each such cut-out 220, thereis provided a bridge 222 and aperture 224 which features cooperate withlocking slot 23 and projection 24 of the corresponding stud 7 to providea locking relationship therewith. Thus, projection 24 of stud 7 extendsoutwardly into aperture 224 to secure the locking of end wall 1 to cover204 and to provide, for practical purposes, a failsafe locking systemtherebetween. 'Said locking feature serves to even further improve theintegrity of the assembled pump apparatus.

In assembling housing 200 to the subassembly comprising end wall 1,casing 100, fully encased motor 17 and mounted impeller 300, it ismerely necessary to depress members '21 inwardly so as to provideclearance of locking projections 24 and the interior of cover 204. Thishaving been accomplished, and after positioning projections 24 withincover 204 so that bridges 222 and apertures 224 are substantiallyregistered with their respective slots 23 and projections 24, members 21are released. Due to their resilience, members 21 will urge the variouslocking members of this construction into engagement with one another,thereby effecting completion of the construction of the pump.Disassembly of course, is simply and rapidly achieved by reversing theorder of the above assembly steps.

Obviously, any material of construction may be employed which can beformed or fabricated into the essential parts of the apparatus of theinvention and which material of construction is further capable ofwithstanding the intended and obvious working environments encounteredin impeller pump applications. However, it should be noted that end wall1, casing and housing 200 are especially adapted to fabrication fromsolid thermoplastic polymeric material such as polyamides, polyolefins,polystyrene, polycarbonates, polyacetals, etc. The so-called impact"resistant polymers based on acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymershave been found to be particularly suitable. Further, it should be bornein mind that the relatively complex shapes of the essential elements ofthe invention can ordinarily be readily formed by standard thermoplasticforming methods, particularly by injection molding techniques.

What is claimed is:

1. An impeller pump housing assembly comprising:

A. a rear end wall defining an end closure of the housing and comprisingan endplate, a rear tubular casing extending forwardly from saidendplate and at least two resiliently inwardly biasable arm membersextending forwardly from the perimeter of said endplate, said armmembers having engaging means near the free ends thereof;

B. front tubular casing means having a front portion and a rear portion,said rear portion having means to engage said rear tubular casing influid-tight relationship and said front portion having means to engage atubular impeller chamber in substantially fluid-tight relationship; and

C. housing means comprising i. a partition,

ii. enclosure means integral with and extending rearwardly from saidpartition, said enclosure means having toward the rear margin thereofcorresponding means to engage said engaging means of said arm members of(A) in interlocking relationship therewith,

iii. a tubular impeller chamber extending rearwardly from said partitionand adapted to engage said front portion of said front tubular casing,

iv. an aperture through said partition in open communication with saidimpeller chamber and defining an inlet thereinto, and

v. tangential outlet means adapted to conduct fluid from said impellerchamber to the exterior of said enclosure means.

2. The pump housing of claim 1 wherein said front tubular casingcomprises a front portion of abruptly smaller diameter than said rearportion, thereby forming a shoulder at the junction therebetween.

3. The pump housing of claim 1 wherein said front portion of said fronttubular casing is provided with front and rear shaft seals in spacedapart relationship and downwardly oriented aperture means positionedbetween said seals and in open communication with the bore of said frontportion of said front casing.

4. The pump housing of claim 1 wherein said means to engage said rearportion of said front casing with said rear casing includes A. at leasttwo circumferentially oriented slots located near the forward margins ofsaid rear casing, each of said slots comprising a relatively deeplyslotted center section and at least one relatively narrowly slottedlateral section coextensive with said slotted center section and havinga common and continuous rear margin therewith, and stud means projectingfrom the tubular surface of said rear portion of said front casing, saidstud means being adapted to correspond to and engage in lockingrelationship with the center sections of said slots.

5. The pump housing of claim 4 wherein the front surface of each saidstud means is substantially perpendicular to said tubular surface andwherein the rear surface of each said stud means is beveled or radiusedrearwardly from its apex.

6. The pump housing of claim 4 wherein the sides of each of said studmeans are angled or radiused towards the apex of the stud.

7. The pump housing of claim 4 wherein each said circumferential slotcomprises a relatively narrow ing and impeller chamber are provided bypalred spaced apart flange means coated on the rear portion of saidfront casing and defining therebetween a seat for an O ring, and an Oring in said seat adapted to bear against the interior of said rearcasing in fluid-tight relationship; and

B. paired spaced apart flange means located on the front portion of saidfront casing and defining therebetween a seat for an O ring, and an Oring in said seat adapted to bear against the interior of said impellerchamber in fluid-tight relationship.

9. The pump housing of claim 1 wherein said endplate has a resilientflange extending forwardly from the perimeter thereof and said armmembers are attached to said flange.

10. The pump housing of claim 9 wherein said flange is provided withslots adjacent the sides of said arm members and parallel therewith.

11. The pump housing of claim 1 wherein said engaging means of each ofsaid arm members includes a perimetrically oriented slot on the outeraspect of said arm and an outwardly oriented projection locatedsubstantially immediately forward of said slot and wherein each saidcorresponding engaging means of said enclosure means includesperimetrically oriented bridge means adapted to receive said slot ofsaid arm member and aperture means located substantially immediatelyforward of said bridge means and adapted to receive said projection ofsaid arm member.

12. An impeller pump comprising the pump housing of claim 1 andcontaining therein:

A. a motor within said rear casing and said rear portion of said frontcasing;

B. a shaft in operative communication with said motor and extendingthrough said front easing into said impeller chamber;

C. at least one shaft seal associated with said shaft and said frontcasing; and

D. an impeller affixed to said shaft within said impeller chamber.

13. An impeller pump comprising the pump housing of claim 2 andcontaining therein:

A. a motor within said rear casing and said rear portion of said frontcasing;

B. resilient biasing means within said rear casing adapted to urge saidmotor into abutting relationship with said shoulder of said frontcasing;

C. a shaft in operative communication with said motor and extendingthrough said front casing into said impeller chamber;

D. at least one shaft seal associated with said shaft and said frontcasing; and

E. an impeller affixed to said shaft within said impeller chamber.

1. An impeller pump housing assembly comprising: A. a rear end walldefining an end closure of the housing and comprising an endplate, arear tubular casing extending forwardly from said endplate and at leasttwo resiliently inwardly biasable arm members extending forwardly fromthe perimeter of said endplate, said arm members having engaging meansnear the free ends thereof; B. front tubular casing means having a frontportion and a rear portion, said rear portion having means to engagesaid rear tubular casing in fluid-tight relationship and said frontportion having means to engage a tubular impeller chamber insubstantially fluid-tight relationship; and C. housing means comprisingi. a partition, ii. enclosure means integral with and extendingrearwardly from said partition, said enclosure means having toward therear margin thereof corresponding means to engage said engaging means ofsaid arm members of (A) in interlocking relationship therewith, iii. atubular impeller chamber extending rearwardly from said partition andadapted to engage said front portion of said front tubular casing, iv.an aperture through said partition in open communication with saidimpeller chamber and defining an inlet thereinto, and v. tangentialoutlet means adapted to conduct fluid from said impeller chamber to theexterior of said enclosure means.
 1. An impeller pump housing assemblycomprising: A. a rear end wall defining an end closure of the housingand comprising an endplate, a rear tubular casing extending forwardlyfrom said endplate and at least two resiliently inwardly biasable armmembers extending forwardly from the perimeter of said endplate, saidarm members having engaging means near the free ends thereof; B. fronttubular casing means having a front portion and a rear portion, saidrear portion having means to engage said rear tubular casing influid-tight relationship and said front portion having means to engage atubular impeller chamber in substantially fluid-tight relationship; andC. housing means comprising i. a partition, ii. enclosure means integralwith and extending rearwardly from said partition, said enclosure meanshaving toward the rear margin thereof corresponding means to engage saidengaging means of said arm members of (A) in interlocking relationshiptherewith, iii. a tubular impeller chamber extending rearwardly fromsaid partition and adapted to engage said front portion of said fronttubular casing, iv. an aperture through said partition in opencommunication with said impeller chamber and defining an inletthereinto, and v. tangential outlet means adapted to conduct fluid fromsaid impeller chamber to the exterior of said enclosure means.
 2. Thepump housing of claim 1 wherein said front tubular casing comprises afront portion of abruptly smaller diameter than said rear portion,thereby forming a shoulder at the junction therebetween.
 3. The pumphousing of claim 1 wherein said front portion of said front tubularcasing is provided with front and rear shaft seals in spaced apartrelationship and downwardly oriented aperture means positioned betweensaid seals and in open communication with the bore of said front portionof said front casing.
 4. The pump housing of claim 1 wherein said meansto engage said rear portion of said front casing with said rear casingincludes A. at least two circumferentially oriented slots located nearthe forward margins of said rear casing, each of said slots comprising arelatively deeply slotted center section and at least one relativelynarrowly slotted lateral section coextensive with said slotted centersection and having a common and continuous rear margin therewith, and B.stud means projecting from the tubular surface of said rear portion ofsaid front casing, said stud means being adapted to correspond to andengage in locking relationship with the center sections of said slots.5. The pump housing of claim 4 wherein the front surface of each saidstud means is substantially perpendicular to said tubular surface andwherein the rear surfaCe of each said stud means is beveled or radiusedrearwardly from its apex.
 6. The pump housing of claim 4 wherein thesides of each of said stud means are angled or radiused towards the apexof the stud.
 7. The pump housing of claim 4 wherein each saidcircumferential slot comprises a relatively narrow slotted lateralsection extending from each side of said relatively more deeply slottedcenter section.
 8. The pump housing of claim 1 wherein said fluid-tightrelationships between said rear casing, front casing and impellerchamber are provided by A. paired spaced apart flange means located onthe rear portion of said front casing and defining therebetween a seatfor an O ring, and an O ring in said seat adapted to bear against theinterior of said rear casing in fluid-tight relationship; and B. pairedspaced apart flange means located on the front portion of said frontcasing and defining therebetween a seat for an O ring, and an O ring insaid seat adapted to bear against the interior of said impeller chamberin fluid-tight relationship.
 9. The pump housing of claim 1 wherein saidendplate has a resilient flange extending forwardly from the perimeterthereof and said arm members are attached to said flange.
 10. The pumphousing of claim 9 wherein said flange is provided with slots adjacentthe sides of said arm members and parallel therewith.
 11. The pumphousing of claim 1 wherein said engaging means of each of said armmembers includes a perimetrically oriented slot on the outer aspect ofsaid arm and an outwardly oriented projection located substantiallyimmediately forward of said slot and wherein each said correspondingengaging means of said enclosure means includes perimetrically orientedbridge means adapted to receive said slot of said arm member andaperture means located substantially immediately forward of said bridgemeans and adapted to receive said projection of said arm member.
 12. Animpeller pump comprising the pump housing of claim 1 and containingtherein: A. a motor within said rear casing and said rear portion ofsaid front casing; B. a shaft in operative communication with said motorand extending through said front casing into said impeller chamber; C.at least one shaft seal associated with said shaft and said frontcasing; and D. an impeller affixed to said shaft within said impellerchamber.